Vending-machine.



J. C. STEINER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. I9I6.

1 $56K)? l Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET J. C. STEINER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED own. 1916..

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

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4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. C. STEINER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. 19KB.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

J. C. STEINER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. 1916.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOSEPH C. STEINER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

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To all whom it may concern: c it known that I, JosnrI-I C. STEINER, a citlzen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

' lly invention relates to improvements in vending machines, one of the objects be ing to produce a simple, inexpensiveand absolutely positive means for holding and delivering the articles to be vended. Another object is to provide a simple and accurate coin controlled operating device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view'the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends c ianges, variationsand modifications which. come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

he new machine is particularly adapted postal cards, books and other he different issues of newspapers and magazines vary in thickness, and the action of the article holding and delivering means is not in any way impaired by such variations. In the preferred form of the invention, the article holder is in the form of a book provided with a series leaves adapted to lie between the articles.

The separating pendently of each positions, and this coin controlled may be actuated leaves consecutively, leaves to drop and deliver the to release the separating thereby allowing said art cles one Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 26, 1916.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918. Serial No. 127,804.

Fig. IV is a vertical section taken approximately on line IV-IV, Fig. I.

Fig. is a erspective view of the manually operated drive member for actuating the coin controlled mechanism.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of the coin holding member which liesbelow the drive member.

Fig. VII (Sheet 2) is a fragmentary front elevation of the separating leaves, showing the traveling retaining pin which moves step by step to release the leaves consecutively. i

A designates a housing provided with a closure 1 (Fig. I) adaptits closed position by means of a lock 2. 3 designates a transparent panel in the front wall of the housing. he article holder (Figs. I and II) is a book-like device comprising a series of separating leaves 4, each of which is provided with a horizontal pivot pin 5 at its rear edge. Supporting members 6, secured to the oppositely disposed side walls of the housing, are provided with vertical slots for the reception of the pivot pins 5 which extend from the side edges of the leaves 4:. The newspapers B or other articles, are supported by the leaves 4, all of said leaves, excepting the lowermost leaf, being'arranged between two of the 4 is adapted to drop by gravity about the axis of its horizontal pivot 5, from an ele vated position (Fig. I) for the purpose of delivering an article B to the discharge opening 7 at the lower portion of the machine. iVhen the leaves drop to their delivery positions, they are inclined to con stitute delivery chutes for directing the articles toward the discharge opening 7, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. I.

e means for supporting the leaves el: in their elevated positions includes a traveling retaining member C slidably mounted betweenguides 8 and 9 and provided with a pin 10 adapted to engage the separating leaves 4. The traveling member C is ad vanced step by step, in a horizontal plane, to release the leaves 4 consecutively as will be presently described. Each leaf l has a notch 11 in its front edge (FigsLII and VII, Sheet 2,) and an abutment face adapted to rest upon the pin 10 which extends from the traveling member G. The notches ll are'formed in different verticalplanes, (Fig.

articles Each leaf notches 12, and all of the leaves may consecutively in response to travels from the plane of one notch 11 'to. the plane of the notch 11 in'the nextadjacent leaf a. This releases one of the leaves 'lfrom the pin 10, allowing the leaf to drop by gravity to its inclined delivery position. Itivill be noted that the lowest leaf l shown in Fig. VII engages the pin 10, each of the higher leaves being provided with a similar abutment face which lies immediately above the notch .11 in the next lower leaf. Obviously, the stepped notches 11 and the abutment faces adjacent thereto, allow the leaves a to drop the step bystep movements of the pin 10. p

The leaves are arranged one above the other, and each leaf has a notch 12 (Figs. II and VII) adapted to receive the traveling pin 10. \Vhen the traveling device reaches the end of its path of movement, the pin 10 is in alinement with all of the then be lifted by hand to their elevated positions. Thereafter, the traveling device is restored, by hand, to its starting position wherein it will retain all of the leaves 4: in

- their elevated positions.

tionary pc i ien- The newspapers, or other articles, may then be inserted into the book-like article holder.

It will be understood at this time that the action of releasing and delivering the articles is not in any way affected by variations in the dimensions of the articles tobe vended, and that it is not necessary to use accurate feeding devices in delivering the and III) articles to the discharge open ng.

A friction spring 13 (Figs. 1 carried by the traveling member C, engages the guide 9 to serve as a detent for retaining said traveling member in the various positions to which it is shifted by the driving device.

The coin controlled means for the traveling member C, step by step, comprisesv a movable operating arm 14:" (Figs. 11, III and IV), located adjacent to a sta- 7 arm 15. V The operating arm is pivotally supported at 16 and connected to a reciprocatorydrive member 17 by means of a link 18. a '19 designates a restoring spring tending to retain the elements 14, 17 and 18 in the positions shown in Fig. 1V. A,reciprocatory coin holding member 20, located directly below the drive me ber 17, isprovided with a coin receivlng recess 20 which registers with acoin receiving recess 17 in the. drive member 17. jgThe coin holding member 20 is provided with. anabutment face 21, (Figs, IV and VI) which engages a stationary part of the machine when said mem r, 2 p nni its norma s a g Apin 22,- extending downwardly rom .th dr' ve..me. b r 17 Y (F gs W1 n v.p heise nh ld ne Cis advancing wkie gage ne en member 20. The traveling member has an abutment face which provided with a row of pins '23 arranged machine,'the mechanism cannot be operated by the reciprocatory drivemember-17. The

coins are inserted through a slot 2 1 formed in a stationary part of the 'machine. The first coin X tobe inserted is stopped by an abutment 2a which the coin receiving recesses 17 and 20. coin merely lies in the coin holding member, 20 and does not serve as means for transmitting movement to any of the devices. The second coin X (Fig. IV) is stopped by the first 'coin' and it lies partly withinthe coin receiving recess 20, partly within the recess 17, of the recesses formed b the ins 23 on the traveling member C. The upper coin is thus interlocked with the drive me1nber'17, coin holding member 20 and travelinmmember C. The drive member 17 may then be actuated to advance the traveling member lies immediately below .TlllS i andpartly within one one step, movement beingtransmitted from i said drive member, through the upper coin X, and to the traveling member. At the beginning ,of this movement the coin holder 20 moves to the right from the "position shown in Fig.

coin X to drop by gravity into a coin receptacle 25. The upper coin'g is frictionally engaged with the members 17 ,20 and C, and it is nece V from the coin receivinglrecesses at the end of the operative; stroke'of the drive member 17 A stationary ejector cam 26 (FigIIV) is, thereforeflocated in the oath of the upper coin X. VVhenthe upper coin. strikes this cam,

released fromthe drive member 17 and permitted to drop into the coin receptacle 25. When the drivemember 17 is restored by the spring 19, the pin 22 '(Fig lv) which extends; downwardly, from said drive rnember, engages one end, 7 pushes it back; to the starting position, shown in Fig. IV. The traveling member C does not move backwardly in responseto the return troke of drive member 17. ;The

the traveling member, reg ster successively said coin isI-forced downwardly,

ofthe'member' E20 and V 115 drive member to the travel- 1 IV, thus allowing the lower sarv to eject'this upper-coin the drive member with the other coin receiving recesses so that the traveling member may be advancedstep by step in response to the of the drive member 1?. i i

It will be observed by referring to Figi' IV that the drive member 17 may be reciplocated in the coin receiving recess. the drive member 17 frictionally engages the member 20, the latter tends to move with when only one coin isgarranged in the device. In this event, if the ber 20 was permittedto move a slight 1. Ina vending machine, a coin controlled article delivermg device comprising a traveler movable step by step to release the articles, a drive member provided with a coin receiving recess at a'poin't adjacentto said traveler, operating eating said drive member, said traveler-being provided with a row of coin receiving recesses adapted to register successively with the coin receivingrecess in said driver to provide for the transmission of power from said drive member,through the coin and to said traveler, and a coin ejector arranged to release the coin upon theeompletion of the operative stroke of said drive member, thereby allowing the drive member to return to its starting position without returning the traveler.

2 In a vending machine, eler movable step by step to release the ber provided with a a point adjacent to said traveler, operating means for reciproeating said drive member, said traveler being provided with a row of coin receiving recesses adapted to register successively with. the coin receiving recess in said driver to provide for the transmission of power from said drive member, through the coin and to said traveler, a coin ejector arranged to release the coin upon the completion of the operative stroke of said drive member, thereby allowing the drive member to return. to its starting position without returning the traveler, and a yieldable retaining device for retaining said traveler in the positions to which it is shifted by said drive member.

3. In a vending machine, a coin controlled article delivering device comprising a traveler movable step by step to release the articles, a drive member provided with a operative strokes means for recipro- I 7 an abutment coin receiving recess at a point adjacent to, said traveler, operating means for reciprocating said drive member, said traveler being provided with a row of coin receiving recesses adapted to register successively with the coin receiving recess in said driver to provide for the transmission of power from said drive member, through the coin and to said traveler, a coin ejector arranged to release the coin upon the completion of the operative stroke of said ing the drive ing position and eler to retain the which it is shifted member to return to its startw1thout returnmg the traveler,

latter in the positions to by said dr ve member.

4. In a vending mechine, a coin controlled article delivering device comprising a traveler movable step by step to release the articles, a drive member provided with a coin receiving recess at a point adjacent to said traveler, operating means forreciprocating said drive member, said traveler be ing provided with a row of coin receiving recesses adapted to register successively with. the coin receiving recess in said drive 111G111- her, a reciprocatory coin holder having a coin receiving recess which registers .witli the first mentioned recess, said drive memberv bemg movable independently of said traveler and the reciprocatory coin holder, and adapted to retain coins in said recesses to I provide for the transmission of power from said drive member to said traveler and reciprocatory coin holder.

In a vending machine,

provided with a power from said drive member to said traveler and reciprocatory coin holder, said coin receiving recesses being adapted to receive a plurality-of superposed coins, said abutment constituting a stop for the lowermost coin, and said drive member being arranged to receive the uppermost coin.

In a vending machine,

eler movable step by step articles, a drive member provided with a coin receiving recess at apoint adjacent to said traveler, operating means for recipro drive member, thereby allowa friction spring carried by said trav-K 7 the transmission of power member to sald traveler and re'clproca-tory- Copies of this patent may be obtained-for five cents each; by addressing the .f qommissioner of Pars ng;

washingtouanfl." i

eating said drive member, saidtraveler being provided with a-row of coin receiving recesses adaptedto register successively with the coin receiving recessin said drive mem-- her, a reciprocatory coin holder and can abutment adapted to to provide for said drive in said recesses from retain coins coin holder.

7 In a vending machine, an article holder comprising a series of pivotally supported separating members arranged to "lie between the articles to be vended, each of said separating members being movable downwardly by gravity, about the axis of its pivot, to ermit the removal of one of said articles from the machine,

taining device, the difiere'nt abutment faces being located in different vertical planesand 4 also indi I controlled :means for advancing jsaid travelmg retaining device step by step, from the a traveling retaining device constituting a'support for all of said sald separatmg;

fl'erenthorizontal planes, and co1n of said; abutment faces to the plane of one plane of. the abutment tape on the adj acent 35 separating Jme nber, thereby "releas ng; theseparating members consecutively,-

-8; In a =vending machine, an. article holder comprising. 1 a series of pivoted separating members arranged to lie betwee port the articles -,to be-"vended, each oif said separating, members beingmovable downwa'rdly by gravity,

pivot, to'permit .theremQval ot one of the articles from the machine, vautraveling re 45 adapted to rest upon said supporting member, he different abutment faces being lo cated indifferent vertical planes and also in different horizontal planes, ZLIlClKCQlIlnCOIly' trolledmeans for advancing said traveling retainingdevice step by step,'so as toicarry said supporting member from one o n and sup 40 abutmentifaces to the vertical plane of the} I next adjacent abutment; iace ,.-thereby releas ing said" support ng ;;member trom one said separatlng members and permitt ng the 'neXt higher sep ar ating member 'itO rest up on said supporting member.

JOSEFH Qo; s mmer, 

